Flush mounted, dustproof gas service cabinet



June 11, 1963 H. H. LOGAN ETAL FLUSH MOUNTED, DUSTPROOF GAS SERVICE CABINET Filed Dec. 19, 1960 0 w W m n 00W 1 He w n #5 V B United States Patent 3,093,5ll2 FLUSH MGUNTED, DUSTPROOF GAS SERVECE CABEJET Hugh H. Logan, Pasadena, George I. Doty, La Canada,

and James F. Nelson, Woodland Hills, Qalifi, assignors to Logan Hospital Equipment o., Glendale, Calif., a

corporation of Calii'ornia Filed Dec. 13 1960, Ser. No. 76,958 4 Claims. (Cl. 73-431) This invention relates generally to control equipment for gas supply systems and, more particularly, to a socalled gas service cabinet.

The gas service cabinet of the invention is especially designed for installation in rooms which must be maintained free of contaminants to a high degree. For example, the illustrative embodiment of the invention is a surgical gas service cabinet for installation in the wall of a hospital surgery room and has certain unique features of construction that uniquely adapt it to this use. It will become clear as the description proceeds, however, that these same features may be beneficially utilized in gas service cabinets for other applications as well.

With this preliminary discussion in mind, a general object of the invention may be stated as being the provision of a new and improved gas service cabinet of the character described.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a gas service cabinet of the character described which is adapted for installation in an opening in the wall of a room flush with the wall surface and effectively seals the wall opening against the passage of contaminants through the opening into the room so as to be uniquely adapted for use in hospital surgery rooms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gas service cabinet of the character described which is equipped with one or more gas gauges contained within the cabinet and readable through openings in a removable front panel of the cabinet, and wherein these gauges are mounted in a unique way which permits them to be easily read even though it is necessary to incline the front panel slightly with respect to the rear housing of the cabinet in order that the panel may seat flat against the wall in which the cabinet is installed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a gas service cabinet of the character described in which the gas gauges and valve handles associated therewith are color coded to facilitate proper adjustment of the cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gas service cabinet of the character described which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, pleasing in appearance, compact, and otherwise ideally suited to its intended uses.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become evident as the description proceeds.

Briefly, these objects are attained by providing a gas service cabinet equipped with a rear housing having an open front side and a front panel which overlies this open side and is releasably secured to the housing. This panel has a circumferential lip behind which is a gasket for seating against the wall in which the cabinet is installed.

The gas lines serving the cabinet extend through the housing and are connected to gas gauges in the housing. These gas gauges are spring mounted in the housing in a unique way which assures that the gauges will be urged flat against the front panel of the cabinet. This renders the gauges easily readable through panel openings, sealed by transparent windows, even though it is necessary to incline the panel with respect to the housing of the cabinet in order to permit the panel gasket to seat properly against the wall surface and thereby efiecti-vely seal the Wall opening in which the cabinet is installed.

The cabinet is also equipped with control valves and outlet fittings, the latter and the valve handles being accessible at the front panel. This panel is recessed so that when the cabinet is installed in a wall, the front of the cabinet is substantially flush with the wall surface.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the following detailed description of a present illustrative embodiment of the invention and the attached drawing illustrating the same, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present service cabinet installed in a wall opening;

FIG. 2 is a front View of the cabinet with the front panel removed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial vertical section through the cabinet; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section through the cabinet illustrating how the yieldable gauge supports function to maintain the gauge faces fiat against the front panel of the cabinet even though the panel is inclined.

The service cabinet 1t) illustrated in this drawing, which is actually an instrument enclosure, comprises a rear rectangular housing 12 having an open front side 14 and a front panel 16 which overlies this open side. The panel is secured to the housing by screws 18 which pass through the four corners of the panel and are threaded in pieces 20 fixed on the four corners of the housing.

Service cabinet 16 is installed in an opening 22 in a wall .24, as shown best in FIG. 3. The front cover panel 16 has a forwardly extending, right angle flange 26 about its edge and an outwardly extending lip 28 along the forward edge of the flange. Behind this lip is a gasket 30 which is adapted to seat against the outer surface of the wall 24 in which the service cabinet is installed, as shown.

The front cover panel 16 has a horizontal row of circular apertures or holes 32, each of which is closed by a transparent window 34. As shown best in FIG. 3, each window 34 is generally dish shaped and has its center portion projecting through its respective panel opening 32. At the rear of the front panel, each window has a peripheral flanges 36 which seats against and is adhesively sealed to the rear surface of the panel. Because of its dish shape, each window defines a rearwardly facing circular recess or cup 38. While each window 34 projects slightly forwardly of the central wall portion of the panel having the openings 32, these windows are located behind the plane of the panel lips 28 so as to be somewhat protected against being marred or scratched when the panel is placed face down on a surface.

Extending vertically through the service cabinet housing 12 are four gas lines 46*. The lower ends of these gas lines extend through and beyond the lower wall of the housing 12 and the upper ends of the gas lines extend through and above the upper wall of the housing. Extending horizontally across the inside of the housing, behind the gas lines 40, is a channel member 42 which is secured to the rear wall 44 of the housing by means of bolts 46. The gas lines are connected, somewhat loosely, to this channel member by means of clips 48 which stnaddle the gas lines, as shown, and are bolted to the channel member. The holes 50 in the upper and lower housing walls through which the gas lines extend are appreciably larger than the lines, as may be best observed in FIG. 3. The loose fit of the gas lines in the housing holes 50 and the somewhat loose attachment of the gas lines to the channel member 42 permit the gas lines to move, to a limited degree, with respect to the housing for facility of attachment of the gas lines to external fittings.

Located directly behind each panel window 34 is a gas gauge 52. Each gas gauge is operatively connected to one of the gas lines 40 through a flexible tube 54. These flexible tube connections provide the gas gauges with a degree of freedom of movement in the housing, for reasons to be presently seen.

Extending horizontally across the inside of the service cabinet housing 12, behind the row of gauges 52, is another channel member 56. This channel member is secured to the rear wall 44 of the housing by means of bolts 58. Each gas gauge 52 is loosely and resiliently supported on the channel member 56 by means of four rectangularly arranged posts or bolts 60 and compression springs 62 on these bolts. Thus, the four supporting bolts for each gauge extend loosely through aligned holes in the forward, vertical web 64 of the channel member 56 and a rectangular bracket plate 66 fixed to each gauge. Each gauge is thereby capable of limited fore and aft movement as well as limited rocking movement. The springs 62 urge each gauge toward and against the rear side of the respective panel window 34, the face 68 of each gauge being circular and proportioned to fit closely in the rear cup 38 of the respective panel window. Moreover, since the bolts or posts 60 have a loose fit in the channel 56 and in the respective gauge bracket plate 66, the bolts have limited freedom of lateral movement or deflection. Thus, the bolts 60 and their springs 62 form resilient, laterally deflectable spring supports for the gauges, whereby the latter can shift laterally in any direction to align themselves with their respective panel windows and thereby compensate for inaccuracies of manufacture and eccentric mounting of the front panel 16. The inner annular surface of each window recess 38 which extends about the forward end of the respective r gauge 52 serves as a locating surface for the gauge which laterally locates the gauge face in coaxial alignment with the respective panel opening.

Connected in each gas line 46 is a valve 70. Each valve has a rotatable valve stem 72 which extends loosely through an opening 74 in the front panel 16 and mounts .a knob or handle 76 at its forward end, forwardly of the panel. The valve handles 76 are, therefore, accessible from the front side of the service cabinet for opening or .closing of the valves 70. Positioned on each valve stem 72, behind the front panel, is a seal ring 78 of felt or other suitable sealing material. Each seal ring is backed by a washer 80 and a compression spring 82 which urges the ring against the rear side of the front panel about the adjacent valve stem hole 74 in the panel to seal the hole against the passage of dust and other contaminating material from the inside of the service cabinet into the room in which the service cabinet is installed.

The service cabinet illustrated in the drawing is especially intended for use in a hospital surgery room. In this application, the lower ends of the gas lines 40 are connected, for example, to sources (not shown) of pressurized oxygen, nitrous oxide, and surgical air and to a vacuum source, as indicated by labels 84 on the front panel 16 below the gas gauges 34, respectively. The upper ends of the gas lines connect to suitable outlets in the operating room. When any one of the three valves 70 on the left-hand side in FIG. 2 is opened, therefore, the corresponding gas is delivered to the respective outlet in the operating room. Opening the valve on the righthand side connects the respective room fitting to the vacuum source.

The gas gauges 34 obviously indicate the pressure in their respective gas lines at the downstream side of their respective valves 70. Thus, the left-hand gauge 34 in FIG. 1 indicates the pressure of the oxygen flowing through the left-hand gas line 40 in FIG. 2. The second to the left-hand gauge 34 in FIG. 1 illustrates the pressure of the nitrous oxide flowing through the second to the left-hand gas line 40 in FIG. 2. The third from the left-hand gas gauge 34 in FIG. 1 indicates the pressure of the surgical air flowing through the third from the left gas line 40 in FIG. 2. Finally, theright-hand gauge .34 in FIG. 1 indicates the vacuum in the right-hand gas line 40 in FIG. 2.

A self-closing room outlet 85 is connected to the righthand vacuum line 40. This outlet is mounted on and accessible from the front side of the front panel 16 for connection to a hose or the like.

In order to facilitate correct use of the service cabinet and minimize the danger of operating the wrong valve 70, the serwce cabinet is color coded. That is to say, each transparent window has a colored ring 86 and each valve handle 76 and the outlet 85 has a background color 88 matching the color of the ring 86 on its respective gauge. The face of each valve handle is provided with an appropriate identifying legend and the outlet 85 is provided with a label 84, as shown. The labels 84 are colored to match the color of the rings 86 on their respective gauges.

When installing the gas service cabinet, the cabinet housing 12. is set into the wall opening 22 and secured in position in any suitable way. Front cover panel 16 is then placed over the opening and the panel attaching screws 18 are tightened to draw the panel toward the housing 12. The panel gasket 30' is thereby forced tightly against the outer surface of the wall to effectively seal the panel to the wall surface about the entire circumference of the panel. As noted earlier, the peripheral lips 36 on the panel windows 34 are adhesively sealed to the rear surface of the panel 16 and the valve stem openings 74 in the panel are effectively sealed by the seal rings 78. The wall opening 22 and front panel 16 of the service cabinet are effectively sealed against the passage of dust and other contaminants from the interior of the cabinet into the operating room.

In order to accomplish this complete seal, it is essential that the panel gasket 39 seat against the surface of the wall 24, which surface may slope, as illustrated in exaggerated fashion in FIG. 4. Such a sloping wall surface causes the front panel 16 of the service cabinet to slope correspondingly with respect to the housing 12 of the cabinet. The resilient supports for the gas gauges 52, furnished by the gauge mounting bolts 60 and springs 62, permit the gauges to orient themselves parallel to the sloping front panel and their faces 68 to rest flat against the rear surfaces of the panel windows 34 so that the gauges may be clearly read even though the panel slopes. The mounting bolts 60 may be adjusted to initially properly position the gauges in the service cabinet. It will be seen that the outlet 85, valve handles 76, and gauge windows 34 are all within the recess of the front panel. When the service cabinet is installed in the wall 24, therefore, the front of the cabinet is substantially flush with the wall surface. In this way, the cabinet presents no obstruction in the room and, more important, the valve handles are shielded against accidental turning.

Clearly,.therefore, the gas service cabinet herein described and illustrated is fully capable of attaining the several objects and advantages preliminarily set forth.

While the present preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, numerous modifications in the design, arrangement of parts, and instrumentalities of the invention are possible within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an instrument enclosure, a rear housing open at its front side, a front panel overlying said open side, releasable means securing the panel to the housing, said panel having an opening, a dished transparent window closing said opening including a peripheral flange seating against the rear surface of said panel about said opening and a central portion protruding through said opening and beyond the front surface of said panel, said central portion of said window having its rear surface located forwardly of said rear panel surface to define a rearwardly opening recess in said central portion, a gauge within said housing behind said window having a face closely fitting in said recess, a spring support resiliently mounting said gauge on said housing and urging said gauge face into said recess, and said spring support accommodating tilting of said gauge, whereby to permit the gauge face to align itself flat against said rear surface of said central window portion.

2. In a gas service cabinet, at rear housing having an open front side, a front panel overlying said open side, releasable means securing the panel to the housing, said panel having a plurality of circular openings arranged in a row, a transparent window closing each opening, each window having a rear circular recess coaxial with its respective panel opening, a plurality of gas lines extending through the housing, a gas gauge behind each window having a circular face closely fitting in the recess of its adjacent window, a flexible tube connecting each gauge to a gas line so that each gauge responds to the pressure in its respective line, a channel member secured to the rear wall of the housing behind and parallel to the row of gauges, four rectangularly arranged bolts loosely connecting each gauge to the channel member so that each gauge is capable of limited rocking and fore and aft movement in the housing, and compression springs on said bolts for urging the faces of the gauges into fiat contact with their respective windows.

3. In an instrument enclosure, a rear housing having an open front side, a front panel overlying said open side of said housing, means releasably securing said panel to said housing, said panel having an opening, a gauge within said housing having a forward end removably projecting through said panel opening and a gauge face at said forward end, said panel having a locating surface aligned with said panel opening which encircles and engages said forward end of said gauge to laterally locate said gauge face in alignment with said panel opening, a forwardly acting, laterally defiectable spring support mounting said gauge on said housing and yieldably urging said gauge forwardly through said panel opening, whereby said gauge has limited freedom of lateral movement in any direction to align itself with said panel opening, and cooperating means on said panel and gauge for limiting forward movement of the latter through said panel opening under the action of said spring support.

4. In an instrument enclosure, 3. rear housing having an open front side, a front panel overlying said open side of said housing, means releasably securing said panel to said housing, said panel having an opening, a gauge Within said housing having a forward end removably projecting through said panel opening and a gauge face at said forward end, said panel having a locating surface aligned with said panel opening which encircles and engages said forward end of said gauge to laterally locate said gauge face in alignment with said panel opening, a forwardly acting, laterally deflectable spring support mounting said gauge on said housing and yieldably urging said gauge forwardly through said panel opening, whereby said gauge has limited freedom of lateral movement in any direction to align itself with said panel opening, and cooperating means on said panel and gauge for limiting forward movement of the latter through said panel opening under the action of said spring support to a position in which said gauge face is located substantially flush with the front surface of said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,112,280 Fitch Sept. 29, 1914 2,423,597 Hurn July 8, 1947 2,538,489 Walton Jan. 16, 1951 2,574,203 Wills Nov. 6, 1951 2,758,257 Wills Aug. 7, 1956 2,906,863 Ritter Sept. 29, 1959 

3. IN AN INSTRUMENT ENCLOSURE, A REAR HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN FRONT SIDE, A FRONT PANEL OVERLYING SAID OPEN SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS RELEASABLY SECURING SAID PANEL TO SAID HOUSING, SAID PANEL HAVING AN OPENING, A GAUGE WITHIN SAID HOUSING HAVING A FORWARD END REMOVABLY PROJECTING THROUGH SAID PANEL OPENING AND A GAUGE FACE AT SAID FORWARD END, SAID PANEL HAVING A LOCATING SURFACE ALIGNED WITH SAID PANEL OPENING WHICH ENCIRCLES AND ENGAGES SAID FORWARD END OF SAID GAUGE TO LATERALLY LOCATE SAID GAUGE FACE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID PANEL OPENING, A FORWARDLY ACTING, LATERALLY DEFLECTABLE SPRING SUPPORT MOUNTING SAID GAUGE ON SAID HOUSING AND YIELDABLY URGING SAID GAUGE FORWARDLY THROUGH SAID PANEL OPENING, 